Last section of Intra Coastal Waterway

When we rejoined the Waterway after our overnight stay near Savannah, we calculated we had covered more than four hundred and thirty miles since leaving Fort Lauderdale.

End of the Intra Coastal waterway for us at the lock in Norfolk, Virginia

We were able to sail for long sections if we got the tides right. There was a range of nine feet as we progressed towards Charleston which made it imperative to be travelling on a rising tide through the sounds and rivers. One day we went aground five times. As the bottom was only sand or mud there was no harm done.

The last two days of July we crossed the Savannah River and headed into the Calibogue Sound looking across to Hilton Head Island off to starboard. Anchoring overnight in Skull Creek we were invaded by a hoard of Deer flies. All sails were hoisted for a reach down Coosaw River then motor sailing again through to the South Edisto River. All this time Jethro was still spotting the markers and ticking the charts.

There were plenty of porpoises accompanying us and there were cranes, pelicans, pink flamingos, mocking birds and ospreys galore. One day Jethro counted twenty four eagles. On land we had seen raccoons and to Oliver’s delight some large grasshoppers with yellow and green stripes which were six inches long. He put one of these in his bucket on the way back to the boat, and showed it proudly to a fisherman who was sitting with his line near our dinghy.

“That ain’t no grasshopper, little feller. That there’s a praying mantis.” He rolled his eyes dramatically. “ Them is greedy critters – even eat their own kin.”

Oliver let it go before we went back to the boat.

That ain’t no Grasshopper

After Fort Sumpter we went into Sullivans Creek to replace the propane gas and take on water at a marina. As we were fitting the new gas, a large rib came alongside with three heavily armed men dressed in black were yelling at us angrily. They boarded Camelot. Jon and I exchanged looks of alarm.

Boarded by Customs

“US Customs… permission to come on board, Captain?” They demanded, and proceeded to do so without waiting for an answer. “Routine Search.”

They showed us their badges. Jon produced our paperwork from Fort Lauderdale and our passports. While two went below to search the lockers, the head man looked through all our documents then wagged a finger at Jon.

“You realise we could impound your vessel right now!” He exclaimed. “ You got ‘For Sale’ signs on your life belts but you ain’t paid no import duty.”

Jon was very humble and polite whilst I clutched the children dramatically. They were frightened by these big men in black with guns.

“Do you have any friends or contacts here in Georgia?

“No sir.”

“Well I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I’ll let you off with a warning. You take those advertising life belts down right now.”

We removed both life rings and stowed them below in forepeak. That left the remaining yellow U-shaped life belt on the aft taff rail.

“I am very sorry, sir, “ Jon said humbly. “That was an oversight.”

“We will be watching you,” he said as they climbed back into their rib. “you have a nice day!”

We did not doubt they would be watching, they have already ascertained our route and destination and Camelot was a quite distinctive vessel. That incident confirmed that we would have to find $2000 plus legal fees before we could offer the boat for sale.

Somewhat chastened we set off again. Motoring up Price Creek we passed through the Cape Romaine Wildlife Refuge which was breathtakingly beautiful.

South Carolina into North Carolina

There were a lot of shrimp boats to be seen. I bought one pound of jumbo shrimp – what we called King Prawns – so we could enjoy scampi for dinner one night and stir fry Chinese the next.

On 5th August we made our way up the Cape Fear River and then on to Wrightsville Beach. The Fireball World Championships had been held here in 1972. Jon was not part of the UK team that year as he was in Australia. There we anchored overnight and took the boys to the beach to romp in the sand and play in the surf.

Under full sail we negotiated the massive Neuse River estuary then motored again up Bay River, crossing the Pimlico River and up the Pungo River to anchor off Belhaven at dusk. There were thunderstorms that night. We went ashore anyway for the boys to have some exercise and Jethro to ride his bike. There was shelter on the porch of a lovely but derelect colonial house.

Over the next three days we worked our way up to market number zero. We crossed the notorious Albemarle Sound without incident. Reaching the only lock on this entire journey we stopped for an hour or so to do grocery shopping before entering Great Bridge Lock which was 600 feet long and 72 feet wide. The water level dropped the mere two feet rapidly then we were off again to anchor off the Portsmouth Naval Hospital.

The Jordan Lift Bridge over the Elizabeth River in Norfolk, Virginia

Norfolk, Virginia

We lost count of the numbers of US navy vessels in the area ranging from submarines and destroyers right up to an aircraft carrier. Jethro counted five bulk oil carriers all rafted together. There was so much for Oliver to point out. That day was my 36th birthday.

Finally Jethro ticked off mark 0. So we had navigated 1014 miles on the Atlantic Intra Coastal Waterway. We all agreed it was a wonderful experience. Next we would be in the Chesapeake and another 200 miles to our final destination of Annapolis.